Hundreds come out for dedication of O’Bannon House
RUSSELLVILLE, Ky. (WBKO) -Part of South Main Street in Russellville was blocked off and packed with people Wednesday to celebrate the official dedication of the O’Bannon House.
It came under new ownership one year ago and has since been fixed up for the public to come to learn and celebrate patriotism.
Presley O’Bannon was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps.
He was born in Virginia in 1776 but later moved to Russellville, where he built a home.
He was a Marine hero, famous for his brave acts in the Barbary War.
He was presented with the Mameluke Sword, which models of are still worn by Marine Corps Officers today.
“As a Marine, you’re taught the history and he was a big part of the Marine history,” Marine Veteran Ron Palmer said. Palmer attended Wednesday’s event.
There’s much more to know about O’Bannon, and soon you can dive into the history by going inside his home in Russellville.
“I want to make it a venue for people to visit to promote patriotism, American history, and this great America of ours, and tell the stories that not just about Presley O’Bannon, but the connectivity of what made this country great,” General Jerry Humble, the president of the O’Bannon House Preservation Foundation, said.
Kelley Paul, Senator Rand Paul’s wife, whose hometown is Russellville, was in attendance, and actor Tom Berenger gave a presentation as well.
“I want to help Russellville and Logan County become a place where people come to visit history, it’s so rich,” Humble said. “Just to get it to the place where we could have people inside and show it and make it safe, it’s taken a lot of work.”
“It is a meaningful project for the veterans and others in our region,” Palmer said. “It’s a great honor anytime that a city takes the time to preserve our history, and what our country is all about.”
There is still more work to be done on the O’Bannon house, you can support the cause and find more information at obannonhouse.org.
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